Charging System ? Regarding Curly's Step 3 Result..

[Jerm]

When grounding the green wire on the regulator I get the 14.5-15 V reading at the battery when revving. It stated that my problem is either the rectifier or the ground. I tried the same tests with another "functioning" regulator purchased form the forum. I got the same result. How can I figure out if I have two bad regulator rectifiers or just a bad ground? Where should I look for the bad ground? Thanks in advance.

I should also add I actually have a voltage drop at idle to 11.7 even after just charging the battery to 12.5-12.7. When revved it jumps up to 13.5-13.8. It only gets up to the 14.5 when I ground the green wire on the regulator.

 

[xjwmx]

I had the exact same situation at first with my '81. One way to test your reg would be to substitute the one Pete recommends. You just need to bother with the reg part, because you've tested your diodes with a meter.

But even that's not a perfect test because you will be altering your connections to do it, and the connections are the likely real cause of the problem.

I finally fixed mine by getting enough of the female lugs to come out of their housings with a paper clip, then squeezing them tighter then putting them back in the housing. They are hard, hard to get out. If I was doing it over I would cut them out of the housing with sharp nippers and throw the housings away and just wrap each connection with tape, keeping the lugs attached.

It seems like the sensing circuit is such a low current circuit that a tiny bit of resistance in the connector throws it off bad. That's just a theory, because fortunately I didn't have to learn the charging circuit that thoroughly before it was fixed Hang in there and make it make sense.

 

[Jerm]

Pulled the green out and tightened it up. Suppose I will do the rest after I get some work done for the day. Just checked it again and now I am @ 12.6-12.7 @ idle and watched it jump up to around 14 when revved a time or two. Seems like some progress, but maybe I am making it all up in my head.........

 

[xjwmx]

Nah, it's real. Just seems mysterious. The meter doesn't lie.

 

[Jerm]

Now the main fuse has blown two times today at random times. I noticed the first this morning when I first checked the battery. Replaced it and kept an eye on it the next 10 times I started and rode it around. It was fine. Just went out and started it to go a few blocks to get a sandwich and when I straightened out the handlebars and put it in first it died. Checked the main fuse and it had blown again. Started it and rode it around a few more times and the fuse is fine. What now? Is the fuse blowing a result of an intermittent short or is it the result of something happening every time it starts and eventually causing the failure? Are these two problems most likely related?

 

[xjwmx]

One person was missing grommets on his headlight which cut some insulation and caused a short to ground. Something up in that area is probably why it blew when you straightened the bars is my best guess. Wish I had a better telescope


If you can get it to blow consistently, let it blow and then measure the resistance from the fuse clips to ground with the fuses removed. That will tell you what branch the problem is in. Might just be the main itself shorting to ground.

 

[Ironsled77]

Teecat was having that problem and it was his grommet in his headlight. I only say that cause you said it happened when you straighted the bars.

Posted via Mobile

 

[Jerm]

Problem solved.....I think. Found this in the headlight bucket. Voltage jumps up to the 14.5 when revved. Prior to changing this ground that was only possible when grounding the regulator with a jumper wire.

Likely the culprit for the 2 blown main fuses the other day as well? I hope.

 

[xjwmx]

Assuming that had tape on it, it's more likely just moving things around it there fixed it. If you haven't yet done this take every connector loose and examine them and put a dot of tune up grease on them. If you can get the female lugs out of the housings with a paper clip, do that and squeeze them tight and put them back in.

The single tube type connectors are easy to tighten with a squish in the female half. When you reconnect it, push it in hard until it clicks. Part of the value of all that is you may notice some other issues during the process.

 

[eosdelb]

I noticed My kill switch was getting hot and I was blowing a fuse. All of the sudden the last time I replaced the fuse still nothing worked. I remembered the kill switch being hot and messed around with itand that is what the problem was. It had slowly burt up.

Just a suggestion when you start it put your finger on the kill switch to see if it feels hot.